Volunteers wanted for Children's Panel

A recruitment campaign to attract volunteers to sit on Inverclyde’s Children’s Panel has begun.

Volunteers keen to make a difference to a child’s life can apply to join Inverclyde’s Children’s Panel before the end of September.

The annual recruitment campaign is now underway with people aged 18 and over from all walks of life encouraged to apply.

Panel members make sure that all Inverclyde’s infants, children and young people feel safe, loved, valued and respected. The role of a volunteer panel member is to listen and make legal decisions with, and for, infants, children and young people who have been referred to a children’s hearing. They are there to ensure that the young person is at the heart of every decision taken.

Full training is given and panel members are appointed for a three-year period.

Councillor Pam Armstrong is the Inverclyde representative on the North Strathclyde regional team.

She said: “Panel members are an essential part of the Children’s Hearing system and we are always looking for more.

“We recruit and train once a year so if you’ve had an interest in becoming a panel member, now is the time to find out more.

“We’ve got information sessions coming up which go through everything to make sure you’re going into the role with your eyes open.

“It can be challenging work but it’s incredibly rewarding knowing the difference you can make to these children and young people.”

A number of information sessions have been arranged for interested people to find out more.

  • Monday 16 September - 6:30pm to 8:30pm - via Microsoft Teams
     
  • Wednesday 18 September - 1pm to 2:30pm - West College Scotland, Finnart Street, Greenock, PA16 8HF
     
  • Tuesday 24 September - 6:30pm to 8:30pm - Paisley North Church, Abercorn Street, Paisley, PA3 4AB
     
  • Thursday 26 September - 1pm to 2:30pm - via Microsoft Teams

(Contact fiona.mccallum@chscotland.scot to book or find out more.)

Volunteer recruitment for the Children’s Panel runs until Monday 30 September.

For more information contact the clerk for Inverclyde, Lindsay Carrick at Lindsay.carrick@inverclyde.gov.uk. Visit the Children’s Panel section of our website, the Children's Hearings Scotland website or watch the recruitment campaign video by clicking on the links in the Related Links section of this page.